Photo left to right: CFO Pamela Rothka, WashingtonExecutive CEO JD Kathuria, and CTO Jennifer Sample

Empower AI leaders were honored by industry peers at the annual Chief Officer Awards hosted by WashingtonExecutive.

In the Chief Financial Officer of the Year category, Pamela Rothka was recognized for exemplifying the concept that true leadership in finance extends beyond managing numbers. It requires vision, strategy, and collaboration within the organization and with the broader community.

In the Chief Technology Officer of the Year category, Jennifer Sample, Ph.D., was lauded for her leadership and innovations such as technology accelerators that are enabling federal customers to adopt and expand their use of AI.

“Government contracting is ever-changing and the companies that win are those with the talent to anticipate and meet the needs of federal agencies,” says JD Kathuria, Founder and CEO of WashingtonExecutive. “Empower AI is one of those companies and I’m glad to recognize two of their leaders, CFO Pamela Rothka and CTO Jennifer Sample, as winners of the Chief Officer Awards in 2025.”